Dianthus plant named ‘Shishika-01’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘Shishika-01’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; short internodes and freely branching habit; red purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers that are positioned above the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus speciosus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SHISHIKA-01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthusplant, botanically known as Dianthus speciosus, grown as a garden plantand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Shishika-01’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Chiba, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new freely-branching and freely-branchingDianthus plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Dianthus plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofDianthus speciosus ‘Kahori’, not patented. The new Dianthus plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin a population of plants of ‘Kahori’ in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Chiba, Japan in November, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled environment in Chiba, Japan since December,2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Shishika-01’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Shishika-01’ as a new and distinct Dianthusplant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Short internodes and freely branching habit.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers that        are positioned above the foliar plane.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ from plants of the mutation parent,‘Kahori’, primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Dianthus aremore vigorous than and not as compact as plants of ‘Kahori’. Inaddition, plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Kahori’ differ slightly inflower color.

Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the Dianthusspeciosus ‘Shishi-01’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 12/069,042, now abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inChiba, Japan, plants of the new Dianthus differed from plants of‘Shishi-01’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus were larger than and not as        compact as plants of ‘Shishi-01’.    -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus were more vigorous than plants of        ‘Shishi-01’.    -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Shishi-01’.    -   4. Plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Shishi-01’ differed in flower        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Dianthus plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Shishika-01’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Shishika-01’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 16.5-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. underenvironmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Dianthus production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 29° C. to 37° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 18° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged5,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were two months oldwhen the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus speciosus ‘Shishika-01’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dianthus    speciosus ‘Kahori’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two to three weeks at            22° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three to four weeks at            18° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at 22° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            weeks at 18° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit;            freely clumping; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of flowers).—About 13.5 cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 9            cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 18 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit:            Freely-branching growth habit with about 48 lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; dense and bushy growth habit. Length: About            7.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Internode length: About            9 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A; with            development, color becoming closer to 199A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 4.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern:            Parallel. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C; venation,            close to N137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137A; venation, 137C. Petioles: Length: About 3 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate terminal and            axillary flowers; freely flowering with typically two            flowers developing per lateral shoot; flowers positioned            above the foliar plane; flowers face upright.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; clove-like.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous during the            spring in Southern California; plants begin flowering about            six to eight weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 75B to 75C.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Roughly obdeltoid. Apex: Rounded; praemorse. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 71C. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 75A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 71B;            towards the base, close to 157C to 157D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 73A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five fused arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper            surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            137A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About ten per            flower. Filament length: About 1.1 cm. Filament color: Close            to NN155D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther color: Close to 156A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 156C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 85C. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color:            Close to 85D. Ovary color: Close to 145C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Dianthus.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Shishika-01’as illustrated and described.